Fathers and Son
by justanotherKurtsie
Summary: "My Dad and I rebuilt a '59 Chevy in our driveway two summers ago. One of his many attempts at bonding." - Blaine, "Sexy" Summary: Five times Mr. Anderson tried to bond with Blaine, and the first time Burt succeeded. Chapter 6: Moving Day
1. Boxing

Father-Son Time:

Chapter 1 of 6

Rating: T for caution, probable language in later chapters.

"My Dad and I rebuilt a '59 Chevy in our driveway two summers ago. One of his many attempts at bonding." - Blaine, "Sexy"

Summary: Five times Mr. Anderson tried to bond with Blaine, and the first time Burt succeeded.

**A/N: I missed a couple of weeks posting, I was traveling a lot. I plan to write a LOT more on Parental Wisdom, and quite probably even a prequel about Glee Season 1. I also haven't forgotten "After the Slap," I owe at least one or two more chapters there. I am trying to stay within Glee Canon, which means I need to review the episode, and sometimes many episodes, to get the details right. As life shifts into summer, I hope I can make time to do that.**

**I'm disappointed to hear that Season 3 DVDs might not be out until September. I remember we bought the Season 2 DVDs in July or August, so that we were all caught up by the time Season 3 aired. On one hand, this means more time to review Seasons 1 & 2. On the other hand, it makes it harder for me to write accurate Season 3 stories.**

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Chapter 1: Boxing.

Blaine was 7 years old, the day he followed Mr. Anderson and Cooper out to the garage for Coop's boxing session. As their father started Cooper practicing punches on the large bag that hung from the garage rafters, Blaine found a seat on his red wagon to watch. After a few minutes, his father turned towards him.

"Blaine, come here." It wasn't a request, and Blaine knew better than to protest. He stood up and came over. His father knelt in front of him, so their heads were about even. Blaine moved to kneel too, but his father shook his head. "Stand up. One foot in front, the other back." He helped Blaine position his feet. "Turn your body to the side, so you're a smaller target."

Large hands held small ones, curling the fingers in, thumb outside. "Make fists, like this." And he moved the arms into position, "One hand up, to protect the face. The other arm lower, to protect the body. Now, block."

His father made fists, and moved slowly, pulling back most of the force. Blaine tried to block, but the 'punch' still got through. Even going light and slow, the bare hands were hard enough to hurt. Blaine winced at the pain, "Ow!"

His father looked at him sharply, grabbing Blaine by the chin and looking at both sides of Blaine's face. "You'll be fine. Come on, you try."

Blaine tried to hit his father, he really did. But his father was too good at blocking, he never made any hits. Meanwhile, Blaine wasn't able to block any, either. And for some reason, his father always made contact. They both moved slowly, it's not like his father was trying to beat him up… but it hurt. After a couple of rounds, Blaine threw up his hands. "I don't want to box anymore." He tried to walk back into the house.

"Blaine Everett Anderson, get back here right now."

Blaine didn't dare continue walking away. He turned back to listen, as his father pulled out Cooper's old inflatable target. "Here. If you won't box me, box this. He showed Blaine a couple of punches on the bag. "You work on those punches until I say stop."

Blaine didn't really want to learn how to box, until after the Sadie Hawkins dance. And he didn't really like boxing, until he found the boxing coach at Dalton. Somehow, Dalton's coach understood how to work with Blaine better than Blaine's father did.

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**A/N: Reviews are always appreciated! I did what some other Fanfic writers have done, and used Darren's middle name for Blaine's. If we ever find out a middle name, I'll come back and correct this.**


	2. Action Figure

Father-Son Time:

Chapter 2 of 6

Rating: T for caution, probable language in later chapters.

"My Dad and I rebuilt a '59 Chevy in our driveway two summers ago. One of his many attempts at bonding." - Blaine, "Sexy"

Summary: Five times Mr. Anderson tried to bond with Blaine, and the first time Burt succeeded.

**A/N: I'm back! These are short scenes, so I am *trying* to update quickly. I'd like to get at least 3 chapters out by Monday evening, and finish the last 3 by next weekend at the latest. Then I can get back to my other WIPs.**

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Chapter 2: Han Solo Action Figure

The winter Blaine was 9, he was obsessed with Han Solo. He told his parents he wanted a Han Solo action figure, one of the big 12" tall ones, to play with. He put it at the top of his Christmas wish list, circled, underlined, #1 and starred.

After Thanksgiving, his father asked him what it was that he liked about Han Solo. Blaine stumbled over his explanation, "He's got this attitude, like he knows what he wants. And he's got nice brown hair…" Blaine's father frowned at that, and Blaine stumbled on to other things, "and- and he thinks his way out of trouble… he's good at fighting off the Republic."

A few weeks later, presents were placed under the tree. One of them was about the right size to fit the Han Solo doll in it. Blaine checked the label, and it was for him. The next couple of weeks, he dreamed of having that Han Solo doll to play with.

Christmas morning, he rushed downstairs to get his stocking. He had to wait until Cooper and his parents woke up before they were allowed to open presents. Cooper was about 15-16 by then, and he liked to sleep in every chance he could. But it was Christmas, and even Coop was excited to see what they got.

As the youngest in the family, Blaine got to choose a present first, so he picked that one. Eagerly, he tore open the wrapping paper. His first clue that something was off, was the color of the box. It wasn't Star Wars blue. He got the rest of the paper off, and looked at the foot-tall G.I. Joe figure, over-muscled and bristling with weapons.

By this time, Blaine knew better than to show his disappointment. He smiled, and thanked his parents for the toy. He did get a few good things for Christmas, but not that Han Solo figure.

That evening, in his room, he wondered what was so wrong with wanting that doll. If his parents weren't going to buy him the doll he wanted, Blaine would just have to save up the money himself. So Blaine did just that. And when Cooper took it from him, played keep-away with it, Blaine got angry.

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**A/N: So I tried researching Ken dolls, G.I. Joe's, and then Star Wars, for something that would fit the "Somebody That I Used To Know" video.**

**I'm figuring Blaine is about 17 or 18 years old on Glee, which means this happened about 8 or 9 years ago, about 2003-2004. This ( www (dot) sideshowtoy (dot) com/?page_id=4489&sku=900146&ref=learnmore_900146 ) looks like an almost-plausible image, with a bit of a costume change.**

**I'm not sure if it was available in 2003, but this one (?page_id=4489&sku=21071) is plausible.**

**Here's an idea of the kind of G.I. Joe figure Blaine got: **www (dot) wackystacker (dot)


	3. Got a girlfriend yet?

Father-Son Time:

Chapter 3 of 6

Rating: T for language and homophobia

"My Dad and I rebuilt a '59 Chevy in our driveway two summers ago. One of his many attempts at bonding." - Blaine, "Sexy"

Summary: Five times Mr. Anderson tried to bond with Blaine, and the first time Burt succeeded.

**A/N: I'm a little nervous about this chapter. Trigger warning for homophobia.**

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Chapter 3: Got a girlfriend yet?

August, 2008

Cooper had left home for L.A. The house was quiet without him around. Blaine had spent the summer between middle school and high school at music camp, which had been amazing… and he'd had his first full-force crush. On one of the senior boys at camp. That was a revelation for Blaine. He didn't dare to tell anyone about it, yet.

When Blaine got back home, and had access to his computer, he started doing internet research, trying to figure out what it all meant. It didn't take long for him to realize that he must be gay, that was the only thing that seemed to fit. He wasn't attracted to girls, he liked guys.

Blaine kept that revelation to himself at first. The first few weeks of high school, he was just trying to navigate the murky social waters. But his dad…

"How's school going? Have you found a girlfriend yet?"

Blaine groaned. "School's fine, Dad. No, no girlfriend." _I wish I had a boyfriend, though_.

"Anyone you're interested in?"

"Not really. I've been focusing on homework. High school is… a bit harder than middle school."

"School work is important, that's true. But there's nothing wrong with enjoying the view while you're at it."

"Uh… thanks, Dad."

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Early September, 2008

"So how are things going on the girl front?"

Blaine shook his head. "How about those Buckeyes, Dad? They've done well in their first game."

"Don't go changing the subject on me. You've been in high school four weeks now. Are you making friends?"  
"One or two. It's fine, Dad. Really."

Late September, 2008

"How's school going? Got a girlfriend yet?"

"No, Dad. Please stop asking. I'm trying to stay focused on academics, I've got a boxing tournament next weekend, and we're performing in three weeks. I just don't have time for a girl." _But I'd make time for a boy._ _There's even a gay boy at my school! I wish I could talk to him._

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Early October, 2008

"Hey, Dad, we've got the Fall Dance this Friday at school."

"Oh, good. Do you have a date?"

"Nah, not this time. Some friends and I, we're just going as a group."

"Did you even ask a girl?"

"Uh…" Blaine squirmed inside. "No, Dad. I'm really not interested in the girls this year."

"Uh… okay. That's fine. Give it time, you'll find one you like. Have fun at the dance."

"Thanks, Dad." Blaine shifted, and turned away.

It was a good dance. Blaine mostly danced in the big groups. A couple of girls actually asked HIM to dance with them on slower numbers, and it beat sitting alone in a corner, so he did. But not more than one dance each. When the second girl leaned in for a kiss towards the end of the song, he backed out of it.

"What, are you gay or something?" she asked him, and it just sort of slipped out.

"Uh, yeah. Actually."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Whatever," and walked away. She didn't try to dance with him again that night.

Blaine made it through the evening all right, and got home safe. He acted more tired than he was, just to avoid his dad's questions about the dance.

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Saturday morning, Blaine woke with a start. He had TOLD that girl last night! Everyone was going to know, at school, and soon! He had to tell his Dad, before he found out from somebody else.

Blaine waited until the evening, after dinner. His father was reading a news magazine in his chair. "Dad, can I talk to you for a minute?"

His father set the magazine down, and looked straight at him. "Sure, son, what is it?"

Blaine shuffled awkwardly. "You know how you keep asking me if I have a girlfriend?"

"Have you found one now?" His father leaned forward, eyes brightening. "I knew it would just be a matter of time!"

"N…no.. No." Blaine shook his head, and waited to find the right words. "Dad, I don't like girls. I like boys. I-I'm gay, Dad."

His father looked at him, silent, for an eternal moment. Then he sighed. "Look, son, you're still young. You're only 14. And one day you'll find her, that girl who'll come in and steal your heart away. She'll love you just for being you. I know I keep asking you about girlfriends, but the truth is, you have time to find the perfect girl for you."

Blaine shook his head, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "A girl, Dad?"

"Isn't that what all this is about? You're afraid that no girl is ever going to want you?" His father looked at him straight in the eyes. "So, maybe you haven't found a girl yet. She's out there, for you."

"Dad… it's not about the girls. It's about ME! I just told you, I'm gay, Dad. I don't want a girlfriend. I want a boyfriend."

Blaine's mother chose that moment to speak up. "Did we do something wrong, Blaine? Did we upset you? Are you trying to hurt us?"

"No, no, no." they weren't getting it.

"Blaine, how do you know you're gay? Have you kissed anybody yet, guy or girl?" his father asked.

"No, Dad. I've never kissed anyone." Blaine answered, resigned.

"Then you don't really know. Besides, it doesn't work that way. You can't marry another man. The pieces – they don't fit right." Blaine blushed at his father's attempts at hand gestures.

"Dad! It's not about sex. It's about love. I'm never going to love a girl."

His mother looked at his father, now. "He's just afraid, dear. He'll find a girl, and he'll get over it." It was like Blaine's parents were trying their best NOT to understand, as they twisted his words around. Finally, frustrated, he turned around and walked to his room.

They followed him. He shut the door, and locked it.

"Blaine!" his father's voice came through the door. "Open up! We weren't finished talking to you."

"Blaine?" his mother asked. "Are you all right, sweetie? We love you, we just want you to be happy."

Blaine ignored them, pulling out his journal to try and just write out what he was feeling. His father started banging on the door. "Blaine! Open up! If you don't come out and talk to us, right this minute, you'll be grounded for a week!"

Blaine ignored them, and kept trying to write. When he heard a key in the lock, he closed his journal and shoved it under his bed. He shut down, and just nodded silently as his parents told him how wrong he was, and how much they loved him, and how much they believed he would find a girlfriend, someday.

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**A/N: Reviews are very much appreciated.**


	4. Sadie Hawkins Dance

Father-Son Time:

Chapter 4 of 6

Rating: T for homophobic language and violence

"_My Dad and I rebuilt a '59 Chevy in our driveway two summers ago. One of his __many__ attempts at bonding."_ - Blaine, "Sexy"

Summary: Five times Mr. Anderson tried to bond with Blaine, and the first time Burt succeeded.

**A/N: Trigger warning for homophobic language.**

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Chapter 4: Sadie Hawkins

"_At my old school, there was a Sadie Hawkins dance, and I had just come out. So I asked a friend of mine, the only other gay guy in the school. While we were waiting for his dad to pick us up, these three guys, um… beat the living crap out of us." _– Blaine, "Prom Queen"

Late October 2008

On Monday after the dance, Blaine was surprised to find that nothing had changed at school. Apparently, the girl he had told, had either forgotten or blown it off. Still, he knew that the clock was ticking, and he really wanted to just be himself. Finally, he approached the other gay guy. His name was Jonathon, and he was a sophomore. Once Blaine assured Jonathon that he was serious, they became friends.

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Early November 2008

As the school started advertising for the Sadie Hawkins dance in mid-November, Blaine knew it was time.

"Hey Blaine, you think a girl will ask you to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance?" asked one of his friends.

"Actually, I hope they don't. I would have to turn them down. I was thinking of asking Jonathon."

"Wait, that fag?" something in Blaine's expression must have told him that was the wrong word to use. "Wait… you want to go to the dance with HIM?"

Blaine looked to the side, then rubbed the back of his neck, then crossed his arms. "Yes. I'm going to see if he wants to go to the dance with me."

Blaine's – former – friend backed away, and Blaine sighed.

Blaine did ask Jonathon to go, as friends, and Jonathon agreed. When Blaine told his parents about the dance, they hit the roof. "We are not paying for you to go to a dance with that… that boy! We are not driving you."

"Fine. I'll pay for the tickets myself. Jonathon's dad will drive."

And so it was. The Sadie Hawkins wasn't a formal dance like Prom or Homecoming, so tickets didn't cost a lot.

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November 15, 2008:

The dance was fun, even if they only danced to fast songs. This dance, the girls who came had dates, and nobody tried to slow dance with Blaine.

It was after, when they went to the parking lot to wait for Jonathon's dad. Sudden pain, from behind. Blaine hadn't been paying attention to what was around him, excited and tired from the dance. He took a quick look around now, to see three guys surrounding himself and Jonathon.

Blaine fought back, using what he had learned from boxing. But boxing in the ring is one-on-one, and he didn't know how to handle being outnumbered. Jonathon? He tried, too, but he had no training whatsoever.

Then Blaine went down, and he couldn't get back up.

"Oh my God!" he heard, "Somebody call the ambulance!"

Blackness.

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Sometime:

"Is he going to be all right?"

"If he wakes up soon, he should make a full recovery."

Fuzzy, tired… he drifted back to sleep.

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Another time:

"He brought this on himself, choosing this path." His father's voice.

"Some things, he just needs to learn for himself. This phase will pass." His mother's.

Blaine's head hurt, his chest hurt, his whole body hurt. Someone came in, something with his hand… Blaine was out again.

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November 27, 2008:

Blaine's parents brought a basket of food for Thanksgiving, and they spent the day in his hospital room. As long as they avoided talking about the dance, or Jonathon… they couldn't play games, because thinking made Blaine's head hurt too much. Mostly, they watched television. Blaine's father made one concession to Blaine's condition – they watched football. Blaine slept a lot.

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December 2008:

Blaine went home in early December, although he still needed to rest. He had a few Physical Therapy exercises he could do, but most had to wait until his bones healed, around Christmas-time. After he had been home a few days, his father brought him homework to do.

"Here. Work on this while you can, you don't want to get too far behind in school. The doctors think you can go back in January."

"You're sending me back there?" Blaine asked flatly.

"Blaine, you need an education if you want to get anywhere in life." Blaine's father repeated his catch-phrase.

"I understand that. But what about the other boys?"

His father looked at him, and sat beside his bed. "Your attackers are spending time in Juvenile Detention."

"Jonathon?"

His father sighed. "Jonathon won't be back at school this year. He'll repeat his sophomore year at a different school next fall."

Blaine tried to school his expressions, really he did. But his father saw the question on his face, and answered it. "I don't want you to be held back, Blaine. The principle says if you can catch up on your old work, and finish the year with reasonable grades, you won't have to repeat your freshman year."

Blaine hung his head, then nodded. The sooner he was through with high school, the better… he thought.

"Besides, this is the real world, Blaine. You're just going to have to learn how to deal with it."

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**A/N: What do you think? **


	5. 59 Chevy

Father-Son Time:

Chapter 5 of 6

Rating: T for homophobia and depressive thoughts

"_My Dad and I rebuilt a '59 Chevy in our driveway two summers ago. One of his __many__ attempts at bonding."_ - Blaine, "Sexy"

Summary: Five times Mr. Anderson tried to bond with Blaine, and the first time Burt succeeded.

**A/N: I believe I labeled this "angst and family." Here's one more chapter of Blaine angst for you, and then we'll skip ahead a year, to Blaine and Burt.**

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Chapter 5: '59 Chevy

"_I got taunted at my old school, and it really – it pissed me off. I even complained about it to the faculty, and they were sympathetic and all… but you could just tell that nobody really cared. It was like… if you're gay, your life is going to be a living hell. So I left. I came here. Simple as that_." – Blaine, "Never Been Kissed"

January, 2009

On doctor's orders, Blaine was excused from P.E. for the rest of the school year. The school changed his class schedule around so that his two study halls (the one he had before, and the new one that replaced P.E.) were at the end of the day, so he could go to Physical Therapy after school.

Blaine was not quite caught up on homework when classes resumed in January. Although he had done his best to make up the ~six weeks he missed, he remained about two weeks behind.

The whispers around school started immediately, with all the usual slurs. Their taunting hit home, and Blaine found it harder and harder to focus in class. The hallways were worse, as he was often tripped, or shoved, or had his books knocked out of his hands. He complained to his teachers, but they blew him off. "It's just words, Blaine. They don't mean anything by it. You'll just need to grow a thicker skin.

Early February, 2009

One day, when Blaine was shoved in the hallway, Blaine shoved back. He promptly found himself in the Principal's office. Unfortunately, it seemed nobody had seen Blaine get shoved, they only saw Blaine shoving back.

"Mr. Anderson, the reason you were not expelled after your fight last November, is because there were enough witnesses to the attack, it was obvious you were fighting in self-defense. We do not condone violence in this school."

"Yes sir."

"You have already missed 25 days of school this year. In most situations, that many absences would be grounds to give you failing grades in all classes. You were accepted back due to the special circumstances, and I believe your father already explained the conditions to you. I understand that your coursework is still behind. I suggest you apply this extra energy into your studies."  
"Yes sir."

Stymied at every turn, Blaine tried to channel his rage into his boxing, but even that wasn't enough. He found himself crying in the shower on a regular basis, crying himself to sleep night after night. He had never felt so alone. His thoughts started repeating phrases his father had used, and mocking and criticism from Cooper's visits. "You're never going to be good enough. You're not giving it your all. If you would just try harder…" on and on, over and over again.

Blaine found it hard to sleep at night, as his mind processed his memories from the attack with nightmares. He started staying awake longer, trying to get too tired to dream.

Being tired did not help his concentration at school. He started forgetting homework assignments, and getting C's or worse on his tests.

Late February, 2009

Blaine was on an errand at the mall, when he saw Jonathon again. It turned out that Jonathon was transferring to Dalton Academy in the fall. "They have a zero tolerance policy for bullying, Blaine. I'll be safe there, and can move on. The academics are tougher, I'll be repeating my sophomore year, but it's a solid education."

Blaine didn't know what to say to this. He looked Dalton up online, and it did have an academic reputation high enough to please his father. It gave Blaine hope.

March, 2009

Hope, gave Blaine the energy to get through a new day, a new week. Then, in March, he got his report card. One B- was his best score. Three C's and a D, he had never scored so low in his life. Anxiously he waited to see what his parents would say.

Strangely, they didn't say much to Blaine. The next day, his mother took him in to withdraw him from school for the rest of the year, choosing to homeschool instead. Each morning, his mother would give him a research assignment, and in the evening Blaine gave her a report showing what he had found.

On a good day, Blaine gave his parents the information on Dalton's academics. They didn't reply immediately, but late in March they took Blaine to Dalton for placement exams.

April, 2009

When the results of Blaine's placement exams came in, his parents brought him to Dalton to discuss his standing with an academic advisor. His advisor recommended placing Blaine in advanced Freshman classes: Honors English, Honors Algebra, Honors Biology.

"I understand that some of this material will be a repeat for you," Blaine's advisor said, "but I think you'll find Dalton's Honors classes challenging enough to hold your interest."

Blaine's father hesitated, not wanting Blaine held back, but Blaine said, "I'll do it. That gives me a chance to start fresh, no different from any other new student."

"Dalton's Freshmen are assigned a senior to act as Big Brother," Blaine's advisor backed him up. "It would go a long way towards helping you fit in at this school. We have a spring gathering for incoming freshmen on May 19th, he can meet his Big Brother in person there."

With that, Blaine's father actually backed down. Blaine was so astonished, he couldn't say another word.

May, 2009

One day in May, while Blaine was researching red pandas, he heard a noise out front. A tow truck was backing into his driveway, with a 1959 Chevrolet sitting on it's back. It was clear that the driver was planning to leave the car in his driveway. Blaine went out to investigate.

"What is this? I didn't order a car."

"Really? The orders say to drop it off at this address," and the driver showed Blaine the form.

"That is my address. Oh, looks like my father ordered the car." Blaine was puzzled, but he left them to their work, and soon enough the tow truck drove away.

When his father got home that evening, Blaine overheard a quiet "Oh, good. The car is here."

Over dinner, his father spoke. "Blaine, I know I haven't been spending enough time with you. You're going to be 16 soon enough, and could use a car. I thought over the summer, we might rebuild this classic together, and then it would be yours."

Blaine nodded, "Thank you, sir."

It wasn't until later, that Blaine overheard his father talking to his mother. "The theory says that if a boy doesn't get enough attention from his father, he'll look for the

attention he needs in another man." His father sighed, "So maybe it's all my fault. We'll rebuild the car together this summer, and see what happens when he goes back to school."

Blaine stayed out of sight, and crept back to his bedroom, all alone.

_"You think my dad built a car with me because he loves cars? I think he did it because he thought getting my hands dirty might make me straight." _- Blaine, "Sexy"

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**A/N: Thus ends part 5. If you think Blaine's father is working from a flawed theory, I'll agree with you. But I actually heard a counselor say that once, at a parenting class at our local Y. It's ridiculous, but there are people out there who think it.**

**Blaine is acting rather depressed in this chapter, directing his anger inward. If you feel that way, I encourage you to talk to someone you trust and get help. I admit that I haven't always been prompt about it, but I have worked with a few good counselors over the years.**

**I leave it to the reader's imagination, how far down Blaine's depression takes him. And is it purely depression, or an after-effect of his head injury? If you are having suicidal thoughts, DEFINITELY seek help. **

**In the United States, here are some hotlines:**

** National Head Injury Foundation: 800-444-NHIF**

** The Trevor Project: 1-866-888-7386**

** National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255**

** National Hopeline Network: 1-800-784-2433**

** National Institute of Mental Health Depression and Panic Disorder Hotline: 1-800-421-4211**

**A quick Google search also brought up a lengthy list of Teen Hotlines at teen-hotlines/teen-hotlines**

**Now to write a happy chapter, with Burt in Chapter 6. I'm so grateful for all the Favorites, Story Alerts, and Reviews. Thank you!**


	6. Moving Day

Fathers and Son:

Chapter 6of 6

Rating: T

"_My Dad and I rebuilt a '59 Chevy in our driveway two summers ago. One of his __many__ attempts at bonding."_ - Blaine, "Sexy"

Summary: Five times Mr. Anderson tried to bond with Blaine, and the first time Burt succeeded.

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**A/N: Here you go! Maybe not so fluffy, but it's sweet.**

Chapter 6 Moving Day

If there was one benefit to the Hudson's abortive effort to move in with the Hummels last spring, it was that Finn and Carole had a lot less furniture and "stuff" to move.

The logistics of selling two small houses and purchasing a third, larger place, were something of a nightmare. Or at least, they could have been if the Hudson-Hummel family had tried to do everything at once. But they didn't.

Kurt, naturally, led the way with his hyper-organized packing. Burt and Carole closed on the new house shortly before Christmas, and Kurt insisted that the family move two boxes of small items in their cars each evening. On weekends, they made four or six trips. Even Finn could manage to sort through two boxes a day. Whenever they could, they unpacked the boxes and put the items in their places at the new home.

But there are always some things that won't fit in the car, like Christopher's chair. Large furniture takes more help, so a moving day was planned. The evening after Christmas, December 26th, Burt rented a moving van. Finn had told the New Directions, and Kurt mentioned the move to a few of his Warbler friends.

As usual for Northern Ohio in the winter, there was snow on the ground. But it hadn't actually snowed in a week, so the roads were clear and the sidewalks shoveled. It was still freezing cold, but everyone dressed for the weather.

Sam and Mike were the first to show for the New Directions, around 8 am. Mercedes and Tina weren't far behind. Puck was later, and felt a little out of place, but he stayed focused on the tasks at hand, and everything was fine.

Then Rachel showed up, and she brought Hiram and LeRoy. But for once she gave Finn space, and went to help Carole and the girls with packing / unpacking. With that many hands, even the heavy furniture felt light, just time-consuming.

The Warblers showed up around 10 am: Wes, Blaine, That, and Nick. They brought regrets from Jeff, whose family had traveled to Grandma's for the holiday, and David who needed to take his sister out.

Loading the truck went smoothly, but then came unloading. About halfway into the truck, Blaine and Kurt teamed up to carry the coffee table. Blaine was in front, walking backwards up the driveway, when he slipped on a patch of ice and fell on his back, table clattering to land over him. Kurt was beside him instantly, moving the table out of the way. The other guys who were outside, hurried over.

Blaine sat up stiffly, as all the guys started asking "Are you all okay? You all right, dude?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Blaine insisted, trying to get up and shake it off.

Mr. Hummel had been inside the house when it happened, but he came over when he saw the commotion. "Give him some room," he gruffed, then crouched beside Blaine. The other boys tried to hover, but Burt directed the New Directions boys to keep working. Kurt, Wes, and Nick insisted on staying close.

Gently, Burt grabbed Blaine's chin and turned his head, examining Blaine's pupils. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine, sir. Just let me up, I'll get right back on this." Blaine didn't want to make a big fuss. Sure, he'd dinged the back of his head, and his right ankle was a little sore, but he would be fine in a few minutes. He was astonished when Mr. Hummel just shook his head.

"Any pain?" Mr. Hummel asked, looking Blaine in the eyes with an expression that insisted on the truth.

"Just dinged the back of my head," Blaine admitted, looking away in shame. When Mr. Hummel continued looking at him, placidly, Blaine continued "and my ankle is a little bit sore."

Mr. Hummel looked to Wes and Nick, "Can you please help him inside?"

"I'm fine, sir," Blaine protested, "I can help finish unloading the truck."

But Mr. Hummel shook his head again. "Let's get you inside to the chair. We're almost done, son. Take a rest. We can finish this just fine."

Wes took one side, and Nick the other, Kurt walking behind to protect Blaine's head again. Once they had Blaine seated in a chair, Mr. Hummel sent Wes off to find Carole, and Nick to the kitchen for an ice pack. When Blaine tried to protest again, Mr. Hummel just shook his head, and asked Kurt to bring some water.

Suddenly Blaine found himself alone with Mr. Hummel. Even though he and Kurt were just friends, he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable. Kurt really needed a friend right now, as he struggled to adjust to Dalton and get over the flinching from his bullying.

But Mr. Hummel didn't say one word about Blaine's intentions towards his son. Instead, he gently asked what had happened.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hummel," Blaine spluttered. "Kurt and I were carrying the coffee table, and I slipped, and I dropped it. That was so clumsy of me, I'm so sorry. Is your table all right?"

"Call me Burt," Mr. Hummel sighed. "The coffee table isn't as important as you, son. You sit here and rest. Ice that foot, and your head if you think you need it. Drink some water, and take it easy."

Mr. Hummel – Burt – patted Blaine's leg. Then Kurt arrived with the glass of water, and the ice pack Nick had prepared. Carole and Wes arrived soon after. Once Wes was assured that Blaine would be taken care of, he returned to the moving.

Burt told Carole what he knew about the accident, the head and maybe the ankle, then left Blaine in Kurt and Carole's capable hands.

Blaine shook his head, marveling at how different the Hudson-Hummel family was from his own.

* * *

**A/N: Thus ends this story. I hope you enjoyed. If you want to read more, I plan to incorporate this back-story into my other fics, Parental Wisdom in particular.**

**Please let me know what you think!**


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